Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 14, 2025

Our Approach to Privacy

Supernova is independent media that grew out of Russia, where privacy isn't a right but a privilege — and where we've seen firsthand how surveillance capitalism and state control reshape the internet into a space of extraction rather than connection.

This shapes everything we do. We don't collect cookies. We minimize data collection by design. We don't sell, share, or monetize your information. This isn't just compliance — it's resistance to the logic that treats people as data mines.

Since 2020, when we launched in Russia, we were pioneers in refusing to use Google Analytics and other surveillance-based tools — at a time when this wasn't common practice for Russian independent media. We chose Plausible Analytics and privacy-first architecture from day one, not because it was trendy, but because it aligned with our values.

We will continue to be on the pioneering frontier. As we grow and evolve, we'll pursue every available route to understanding our audience without turning you into a data resource. When we write about digital rights and censorship, about technologies that define our world, we practice what we advocate for: your agency online matters, and we're not here to take it from you.

What We Collect (and Why It's So Little)

Supernova is an independent media project without formal organizational structure. We operate on trust and transparency, not extraction and surveillance.

When You Visit Our Website

We use Plausible Analytics — specifically chosen because it's privacy-first, GDPR-compliant, and doesn't use cookies. Plausible collects:

• Aggregated, anonymous traffic data (page views, referral sources)
• General location (country-level only, from IP address that isn't stored)
• Browser and device type

What we don't collect: Individual tracking, persistent identifiers, personal data, cookies.

Why we track at all: To understand which articles resonate, which topics matter to our readers, and whether our work is reaching people. We de-identify this data so it's not traceable to specific readers.

When You Join Our Community (Ghost Registration)

If you choose to register on our site, we collect:

• Email address (required)
• Name (required)

What this enables: Newsletter subscription, commenting on articles, access to member content, being part of the Supernova community.

Where this data goes: Your registration information is stored and processed by Ghost, our publishing platform. Ghost is a privacy-focused, open-source platform. You can read their privacy policy at ghost.org/privacy.

Your control: You can update or delete your account anytime by contacting us or through your account settings.

When You Use External Services

Sometimes we use external services for surveys, feedback forms, or research:

• Google Forms
• Other survey platforms (varies by project)

Important: When you interact with these external services, their privacy policies apply, not just ours. We try to choose privacy-respecting tools, but we can't control their data practices. We'll always make it clear when you're being directed to an external service.

What We Don't Do With Your Data

Let's be clear about our boundaries:

We don't sell your information. Your email and name aren't commodities — they're how we stay connected as a community.

We don't use tracking cookies. The only cookies on our site are technical ones from Ghost that make the platform work (like keeping you logged in).

We don't share your data with advertisers. We don't have advertisers, and we don't plan to.

We don't build detailed user profiles. We're interested in patterns and trends, not in tracking individual behavior.

We don't monetize your attention beyond asking for your genuine interest. If we ever introduce paid features, they'll be straightforward exchanges — you pay for something you find valuable — not data-harvesting schemes.

How We Use Your Information

Newsletter & Communication

If you've signed up for our newsletter, we'll send you:

• New articles and updates
• Occasional community announcements
• Relevant opportunities (events, calls for input, etc.)

You can unsubscribe anytime — there's an unsubscribe link in every email.

Community Features

Your email and name enable you to:

• Comment on articles (and engage with other readers)
• Access member-only content
• Participate in community discussions

Analytics & Improvement

We use aggregated, anonymous data from Plausible to:

• Understand which topics resonate with readers
• Improve our editorial strategy
• Track the reach of our work

Remember: This data is de-identified and can't be traced back to individual readers.

International Data Transfers & GDPR

Supernova serves readers worldwide, including in the European Economic Area, UK, and Switzerland.

Data location: Your data may be processed in different countries depending on where our service providers (Ghost, Plausible) operate. Both services are GDPR-compliant and use appropriate safeguards for international data transfers.

Your rights under GDPR:

• Access: Request what personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request corrections to your data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your data
• Portability: Request a copy of your data in portable format
• Objection: Object to certain processing of your data
• Withdrawal of consent: Unsubscribe from communications anytime

To exercise these rights, contact us at anna@supernova.is.

Important note: Because we minimize data collection, if you've never registered or subscribed, we likely can't identify you based on anonymous analytics data. We don't associate IP addresses, device information, or browsing patterns with named individuals.

Data Security

While we're an independent media project without formal organizational structure, we take data security seriously:

• We use established, secure platforms (Ghost, Plausible)
• We don't store payment information (we don't process payments yet)
• We limit access to personal data to what's necessary
• We don't create unnecessary data copies or backups of personal information

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. When we do, we'll update the date at the top.

Major changes: If we make significant changes to how we handle your data, we'll notify our newsletter subscribers.

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For readers in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, here's our legal basis for processing your data:

• Consent: We rely on your consent when you sign up for our newsletter or register on our site. You can withdraw consent anytime.
• Legitimate Interests: We rely on legitimate interests for analytics (understanding our audience), operating our website, and community building — balanced against your privacy rights.
• Legal Obligations: We may process data to comply with legal requirements or defend legal claims (though as an independent project, this is rare).

Questions & Contact

Supernova is responsible for the processing of your personal information as described in this policy.

For questions about your data or to exercise your rights:

Email: anna@supernova.is

We'll respond as quickly as we can — remember, we're a small independent team, not a corporation with a legal department.

Our Commitment

This privacy policy isn't just legal compliance — it's a statement of values. We believe that:

• Privacy is a right, not a privilege
• Your attention and data have value (and shouldn't be extracted without consent)
• Transparency builds trust (and trust is the only thing independent media has)
• Technology can respect humans (when we design it to)

We're building the media we wish existed: focused on futures, honest about present, grounded in the principle that people matter more than metrics.

Thank you for trusting us with your attention — and for the minimal data we actually need to serve you better.

Supernova is independent media about personal and collective futures. We write about the internet, digital rights, emerging technologies, and the images of futures we're creating together.